It Wasn't Just Chance
by Durotos
Summary: Cliff showed up at the inn on a muddy winter afternoon, eager for a roof over his head and hesitant to talk much about his home or past. Ann's not the type to believe in fairy tales, but what were the chances that an interesting young man her age would just happen to pass through a small village like Mineral Town? In the TSN universe, but can be read as standalone.
1. A New Face

It wasn't just chance that had brought him here; she was sure of it.

Ann recalled that dreary afternoon in the middle of winter. There was a quick reprieve in the frigid weather; the ground had thawed, turning the ground into a muddy mess. She remembered the weather so vividly because someone wearing a hooded coat had entered the inn with mud caked halfway up their shins.

It was very hard to tell the gender of the person; the individual was wearing so many layers of clothing that it was really anyone's guess. The attire suggested male, but as a woman who regularly wore overalls and sneakers, Ann knew better than to make assumptions.

They were apologetically wiping the floor with a leather-clad hand as they made their way to the counter, an awkward assortment of bags jingling and clanking as they did so. It struck her as odd to see someone with such a rustic appearance make this gesture. Despite the heavy load, they moved around as if the bags were simply an extension of their body, and crouching over and standing up repeatedly with the large burden appeared to come natural to them.

The guest wore a thick buckskin coat with a snow-white fur lining; it was hand-stitched with care. Their face was obscured, as the fluffy hood was up, and they had a scarf on despite the temporary thaw; it looked as if this person was wearing everything they owned. Among the several bags that were strapped to their shoulders, Ann spied a large rolled up bearskin and a recurve bow.

"H-hello…" A soft, muffled voice emerged from the hood. Tenor. Male. "Sorry about the floor… I promise I'll clean it in a moment," he muttered as he looked at the muddy trail behind him. Despite the fact that his facial features were hidden by winter gear, his body language alone seemed to indicate sheepishness.

"Don't worry about it; everyone's tracking in mud today. You here for a drink or some lunch?" Doug eyed up the curious-looking man.

He shook his head as he let down the hood and unwrapped the scarf from around his face. Ann had been expecting weather-beaten skin or a grisly beard based on the rugged apparel alone. His heavy eyebrows and long brown hair coordinated with his attire, but Ann was surprised to see a young man around her age with a clean-shaven face and large deep blue eyes.

"I'd like to… rent a room…?" It came out as more of a question than a request.

Doug smiled at the strong mountain accent. "A traveler, huh? How long do you plan on staying?"

He looked caught off guard by the most basic and logical question the innkeeper could ask. "W-well… I'm not sure…" He fidgeted with his leather bracers. "Can I pay month to month? I… I've never really done this before," he admitted.

Doug was a little surprised the flustered traveler didn't ask for a tour, but he had a business to run; if someone was so eager to pay, he wasn't about to complain about it. "Not a problem. Five grand a month for a shared room, eight grand for a private."

"I'll take… The shared room…" He rustled through his bags and produced the coins with a shaking hand. He let out a visible sigh as he passed the money to Doug. Ann couldn't tell if it was a sigh of regret or relief.

The innkeeper counted out the coins and placed them in his money box. "Very well, then. Welcome to Mineral Town. Doug McKinley." He grinned as he straightened his posture and squared his broad shoulders, extending a hand to shake. "I'm the owner of this inn. This here's my partner in crime, my daughter, Ann."

"Cl-Cliff Yamamoto," the young man stammered, shaking the proprietor's hand. "H-hello." He bowed his head politely toward Ann.

"Hiya!" Her heart gave a flutter. _Finally, someone new!_ Ann knew from experience that the more bags a traveler carried, the better stories they had to tell. She wouldn't have to wait until summer to have interesting guests again.

"Why don't we show him the bachelor pad?" Doug nodded at his daughter.

"I can do it, Dad," Ann insisted, untying her apron. "You know Harris and Carter will be here any minute for their afternoon coffee. Come on, Cliff. I'll give you the grand tour!"

She bounced up the stairs, her red braid bobbing behind her.

Now that they had a new tenant, Ann was eager to show him that his seemingly hasty decision to board with them was a wise one. "This place has pretty much anything you'll need. You get discounts on meals, we've got in suite bathrooms and showers, and, if you want, I do laundry for a hundred a week."

"Oh… The laundry's not necessary… There's a river nearby I've been using," replied a meek voice from the stairwell.

The redhead whirled around. She was already at the far end of the hallway, and the new tenant was only just reaching the top of the stairs. She had been so excited about having a new guest that she had forgotten to offer to assist him. "Oh, I'm sorry! Here, let me help you with your bags!"

He shook his head. "I'm fine, thank you. I'm pretty tangled up anyway," he admitted with a shy chuckle.

Ann unlocked the door and handed him the key. She pushed the door open with her foot and it creaked as she gestured with a grand flourish. "Behold, _The Bachelor Pad_!"

A small smile tugged at his lips as he removed his shoes in the doorway.

Ann found herself giggling. "Your roommate isn't the most social guy in town, but he's more bark than bite," she explained as she gestured toward the bed closest to the door. "Not the tidiest, either…" She scowled at the messy piles of seemingly random items.

Cliff stared at the heaps as he walked past, hoping to learn a bit about his roommate before he met him. The piles were pretty assorted; among them he spied some interesting-looking rocks, several hammers, sea shells, random machine parts, and piles of books. He scanned the worn leather spines of the books and noted that most of them looked like mystery, action, or war novels.

There were three beds in the room. "Are there three of us?" He looked around the room curiously, making no motion to remove his bags; they almost seemed like a part of him.

"Only in summer. Kai stays for the summer, and Gray lives here permanently."

The young man repeated the names to himself quietly. "I guess I'll take the far side, then…" He hesitantly set his bags on the bed.

"So, you hunt?" She noticed the bow. She cocked an eyebrow; while she didn't mind cooking or eating meat, she didn't like being reminded of the source.

"Yeah…" He said no more on the subject as he propped the weapon in the corner of the room and looked at it with a combination of pride and regret. He methodically began arranging his things, which Ann noticed were packaged in tidy bundles. She grinned; at least she wouldn't have to deal with two complete slobs.

"Need help with anything?" She felt awkward watching without assisting in any manner.

"No, thank you…"

She noticed the hint of satisfaction in his expression as he carefully stacked his belongings; he wanted to do it himself. He didn't have that many things anyway, and Ann got the distinct impression that he was on the move a lot, so he didn't keep much.

Now that the traveler had removed all of his bags and shed his heavy coat and layers, Ann noticed he was quite slender.

"What do you say to a late lunch?" she suggested.

"Ah, it's been quite a while since I last ate…" He produced a bundle of dried meat from his stash, and she saw that his hands were trembling with hunger.

Cliff was definitely a strange man; he seemed completely foreign to the concept of accepting hospitality. "That was an invitation," Ann laughed, putting her hands on her hips. "Come on, our treat."

"Oh… I couldn't possibly-" Cliff frowned, guiltily looking down at the floor.

"Stuff and nonsense! Dad always says that the first hit is free," she grinned mischievously. "What are you in the mood for?"

He had a nostalgic glint in his eye. "M-maybe… Ah, p-perhaps… D-Do y'all make curry rice…?" His request was barely above a whisper.

"Done!" She didn't know why she felt so compelled to see that shy smile once more.

 _ **0o0o0o0**_

 _ **Author's Note: I've always been fascinated by the tenants and owners of the Inn in Mineral Town. This story will take place during the same time as "The Shy Newcomer", one of my other stories (shameless plug), but I'm writing it to be able to be a standalone story as well. Please let me know what you think of the story so far!**_


	2. Instability

The new tenant had lived at the inn for a little over a week, but Ann hadn't heard much more than a stuttered "good morning" and "good evening" from him. She found this disappointing; she had been eagerly waiting to hear some stories about his travels. Today, she decided to take matters into her own hands. They'd be talking and laughing before either of them knew it; she was sure of it.

"Room service!" Ann giggled, flinging the door open.

The young man jumped in surprise. "H-hi, Ann…" He was brushing out his hair. He swiftly tied it back as she entered the room.

"I came to gather the bed sheets, but I thought it would be fun to talk and clean at the same time." She carried a laundry basket in with her. "We haven't gotten much of a chance to talk, you know."

"I guess so…" he stammered, pulling back the covers on his bed and removing the blankets.

He seemed very eager to keep himself occupied while she was in the room; Ann bit back a frown. "Hey now, I can do my own job!" she scolded teasingly.

He shrank back and twisted the blankets around his fingers anxiously. "I'm just trying to h-help…" He almost looked afraid of her for a moment.

"Please don't be nervous," She softened her voice as watched his shaking hands. Ann always prided herself on getting people to open up. Even the quiet librarian that lived on the other side of town became giggly and a little more relaxed after having a lunch at the inn. "Maybe you'd feel better if you told me a bit about yourself. What brings you to this village?" she asked cheerfully. Ann couldn't stand it anymore; she was ready to hear some interesting tales of his exploits. Surely it would be a great ice breaker for them and they'd become great friends…

The color drained from the young man's face as he fell silent and stared at the floor. He gulped for a moment and closed his eyes, all emotion leaving his expression as he opened them again. Ann quickly realized that this looked very practiced; it appeared that this was a mechanism he used regularly to get by. "I… I really don't want to talk about it… I'm sorry…"

Ann noticed her entire body was trembling now instead; his behavior was foreign to her and made her extremely uncomfortable. Working in a bar, she was used to people being very frank and sometimes telling her a few more details than she cared to know. "No, I'm sorry! I guess it's really none of my business anyway, huh?" She let out a weak laugh as she deftly remade the beds; she found her stomach had twisted that awful way it does when one expects one more stair than there really is. "Well, I'll see you around." She grabbed the handles of the laundry basket and turned to leave.

"Ann?" His voice was soft.

"Huh?" She whirled around. She had half-expected the tenant to request that she never enter his room again, but a hint of warm emotion had returned to his voice.

"Th-thank you…" He gave her a small smile before his gaze returned to the floor. They both knew he was not just expressing gratitude for the fresh bed sheets.

A grin returned to her face; she had plenty of time to get him to come out of his shell. "Any time!" She happily bounced out of the room, her spirits lifted.

0o0o0o0

"It wasn't just chance that brought you here," Ann could hear the priest's kind voice echo in the large room. "The Goddess brought you here for a reason."

Pastor Carter was pacing back and forth in front of the altar, and his parishioner was sitting in the closest pew, staring at the ground as if it were the most fascinating thing in the world.

"How do you _really_ know that?" Cliff's voice cracked as he shuffled his feet.

The hopeless tone in his voice was almost too much for Ann to bear to hear. When he was like this, he seemed to sap the happiness right out of her, even though she was normally cheery. She lingered in the doorway, hesitant to come any closer.

Carter had a different approach; a soft chuckle escaped from his lips as he set the heavy book of religious text he had been carrying on top of the altar. "I could tell you I had a vision of you coming here, but you wouldn't believe me, now would you?" he asked with a smirk.

"I-I dunno…" Cliff tugged at his bracers with a halfhearted shrug; he wasn't about to admit aloud that he didn't believe half of the tales the priest told. "I… I don't think _I'm_ really important enough to be the subject of a vision…" His voice trailed off.

"Either way, you're not giving yourself a chance; you need to open up to people and talk to them."

"I talk to _you_ …" the young man insisted.

Ann listened to them curiously. It was the most she had ever heard Cliff speak, and she was excited to learn something, anything about him, despite that depressing aura he was giving off.

"I'm a pastor, Cliff… That's part of my job. You need to make some friends."

Ann could see him slouch in the pew a bit. "I thought _we_ were friends." Cliff sounded wounded, staring at the floor intently.

She caught a brief flash of surprise on the priest's face and she could've sworn she saw him mouth a few colorful words in exasperation. "Of course we are! We _are_ friends," Carter chuckled good-naturedly.

Cliff let out a small sigh.

Ann never visited the church much. It wasn't that she disliked it, per se, but she never identified herself as the churchgoing type. Her beliefs coordinated with the church, but her prayers were more casual and conversational. Church made worship boring; besides, it was a few weeks into the spring season, and she would much rather be outside enjoying the weather than cooped up in a quiet building. As she gripped the paper sack in her hands, she realized that this must be where their newest tenant spent a lot of his time.

"Ah, Ann! Good to see you! I see you brought my lunch!" Carter smiled when he saw her, a wave of relief coming over his features.

Ann passed over the paper bag. "Hello, Carter! Hi, Cliff!" She grinned at him.

He didn't look up, but he gave her a nod in greeting when he heard her voice.

The priest took the bag and opened it, inhaling deeply. Ann almost laughed aloud at Carter's expression; he was trying his best not to drool in front of them. "Smells great. Put it on my tab."

"Sure thing!" she replied.

He stared at her wide blue eyes and his face lit up. "Ah! Hey Ann, can you do me a favor and show Cliff around town?"

A grin was plastered across her face before she could stop herself. "That's a favor I'd be glad to do!"

Her eyes moved toward Cliff and he was gazing at the pastor with a pained expression. "… A… _favor_ …?" He almost looked as if he was going to burst into tears for a moment. She had noticed as soon as she walked through the door to the church that he put away his stoic mannerisms when he was with Carter; his emotions seemed very raw at the moment.

Carter's eyes widened; he had forgotten the fragile state Cliff was in. "I didn't mean it like that!" he laughed nervously.

Cliff's eyebrows furrowed as he bit his lip. "What's the point of showing me around town? … I know the way to the mountain… Maybe that's all I need…" He slowly stood up and closed his eyes, swallowing the lump in his throat.

"Cliff, this is what we were _just_ talking about earlier!" he reminded him. His voice was gentle, but there was a bit of sting to it. "You need to stop shutting people out."

Ann could see that he needed a push. "Come on, Cliff; it'll be fun. I'll show you all around Mineral Town." She hoped that her enthusiasm would help.

"No, thank you." He grabbed his bag with an impassive face; he had put up his protective wall already.

The pastor frowned, but didn't say anything.

Ann thought of how entertaining the afternoon could be if Cliff just gave it a chance. Mineral Town was small, but very close-knit; he would fit in before he knew it. "We'll have lots of fun! Plus, I bet we can get a bunch of free stuff since you're new here." She noticed that he never ordered food at the inn, and she wasn't quite sure what he was eating.

Cliff mutely shook his head, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

Ann felt herself lose patience; couldn't he see how hard she was trying? She caught him by the arm. "Come on!" She repeated with a nervous laugh. _Why wasn't he smiling?_ She had always been confident in her abilities of cheering people up…

"I said…" Cliff looked up at her with emotionless eyes, "no, thank you." His voice was quiet but firm.

Ann let go of his arm in shock and felt a lump form in her throat as he silently walked away.

 _ **0o0o0o0**_

 _ **Author's Note: Yeesh, I made the kid a wreck, huh? I feel like he kind of needs to be… I like to think that Carter still has a few dirty habits left from when he lived in the city (i.e. cursing under his breath). After all, the guy's only human.**_

 _ **I'm very interested to hear what you guys have to think about this story. It won't be nearly as long as my other one, but I think it will provide some fun insight to Ann's personality.**_

 _ **Updated 01/16/18**_


	3. An Audience with the King

He came to the bar at the same time each evening he visited. When he wasn't at his usual table, he was at his reserved stool at the bar counter, sitting in silence. He came to the inn just as often as Karen did. If she was the queen of the bar, then he was the king; both were treated like royalty by the McKinley family. After all, both customers had paid enough for alcohol to help Doug and Ann get through some lean times before they had a permanent tenant. Duke was sorry he hadn't been able to sell them their supply of alcohol any cheaper; Aja Winery had been struggling more than only financially since its namesake ran away from home. This particular customer was the true reason why Doug's Inn had been able to stay in business.

"A hot sake, Dad," Ann recited his order, bouncing up to the bar counter.

"Right-o." Doug turned around and swiftly filled a flask for his customer and set an empty sake glass on a tray in one fluid motion. He filled a small bowl with salted edamame. "Send the old man my regards; the edamame are on the house."

"Sure." Ann beamed, taking the tray back to the table.

The blacksmith was sitting quietly with his eyes closed; she couldn't tell if he was pensive or napping at first. His thick snowy eyebrows rose as she approached him and she realized that he was indeed awake.

He still smelled of coal and smoldering metal; as per the norm, he had headed straight from work at the smithy to the bar for refreshments. "Ah, I thank you," his voice was gruff as Ann passed him the flask and empty cup.

"Want me to fill the first one for you, Saibara?" she offered as she placed the bowl of beans in front of him.

"One should never refuse a simple act of kindness, especially from such a lovely lady." He looked up at her with a toothy grin. "Thank you. What are these for?" He looked down at the snack.

"Those are on the house tonight. They're from Dad. Enjoy!" Ann carefully poured the hot sake from the flask and placed it in front of him.

His eyes lit up at the teeming cup. "Ah… you two have me spoiled, you know…" A hint of a smile could be seen through his facial hair. He eagerly grabbed a pod and popped a couple of beans into his mouth before taking a sip of his sake. "A match made in heaven… Take a seat if you've got a moment, Ann."

She obediently plopped down on a chair beside him. She was rather fond of the old man; he never minced words with her, and she felt like they had an understanding. Ann liked straightforward people.

He nudged the bowl of beans between the two of them. "The boy hasn't been giving you trouble lately, has he?" He took a long sip from his glass.

Ann bit back a smile; Saibara regularly asked how his grandson was doing and if he was behaving himself. As much as Gray liked to think his grandfather didn't care about him, he checked on him regularly through Ann's reports. Of course, Gray knew nothing of this; she enjoyed having a secret kept from him.

"He's doing alright. I've been attempting to keep him in line. He's a slob, as always, but I know he gets that from you," Ann reached over and grabbed a pod of her own, giving him a playful smirk.

Saibara cackled; there was no use denying it. Working in a forge with cluttered living quarters probably didn't help set a good example for Gray's housekeeping skills. "Well, someday he might find a woman who can put up with him."

"Yeesh, good luck with that!" Ann teased, popping more edamame into her mouth.

The old man drank deeply and shrugged. "Well, the gods blessed _me_ enough to find someone." It was an unspoken fact between the two of them – Saibara and Gray had much more in common than either of them liked to admit aloud. He cleared his throat and poured himself another glass of sake. He changed the subject. "Your new tenant seems like a good man; very polite."

Ann nodded. "Polite, but _quiet_." She frowned a bit as she deposited her empty edamame pods on the tray.

"A lot can be said with silence," he returned, adding his empty shells to her pile. "The young man put up a very cheerful front with me the other night. He's looking for stability and purpose… I can see that he's been through a lot; it appears he has carried quite a heavy load with him as he has traveled from town to town." He drained and refilled his glass pensively as he replayed their meeting in his mind.

Ann giggled and popped a few more beans into her mouth as she recalled the tangle of bags and sacks that were strapped to Cliff's body when he first arrived at the inn. "It didn't take him long at all to unpack, all things considered..."

"Baggage comes in many forms; not all are tangible." The blacksmith's brows furrowed as he stared at the colorless liquid in his glass.

Ann's smile drooped a bit. Cliff had seemed happy enough the other night when Saibara had ordered him a glass of cold milk and the two men had laughed at the bar for hours…

"Cliff spends a lot of time at the church," she murmured, mindlessly chewing on a few more beans. "He also doesn't talk much…" Ann preferred not to think of the pained expressions he wore when he sat in the front pew of the church, staring intently at the stained glass window panes as if they somehow held the key to unlocking something precious to him.

"He needs a companion, but the boy is immature and unwilling to be one for him at the moment." Saibara's expression was unreadable as he refilled his sake glass. "I'm not sure if that fool is aware of his own competitive nature."

Ann knew that he rarely called his grandson by name. She recalled that Gray had originally sat with Saibara and Cliff the other night and left the table partway through this outing, silently fuming up to his room out of jealousy. She noticed an air of tension between the roommates after this incident, and it was still present today.

"Well, I'll be Cliff's friend," Ann replied, leaving the final edamame pod for her companion. "And I'm sure Gray will come around, too. After all, he's friends with me, and I know I'm not the easiest person to get along with," she admitted with a guilty smile.

"Young lady, you sell yourself far too short; you are often a ray of sunshine in my boring, dreary day." He gave her a kind smile as he finished off his sake. "You have much more charm than you know."

She giggled. "And you do, too… I'm sorry, but I'm not going to give you a discount on your second sake; you already got an order of free edamame." She winked at him as she stood up and put the empty vessels on the tray.

He let out a gruff laugh. "Okay, okay… I'll take another one, either way; you truly are one of my weaknesses, Ann."

A warm feeling filled her body. "You've got it!" She beamed at him.

0o0o0o0

After her conversation with Saibara, Ann wondered how Cliff was faring as he shared a room with Gray. She had never heard yelling from their room, but she had passed by the door a few times to hear Gray speak with a strained voice about Cliff and his grandfather. Shortly afterwards, Cliff would be found in the hallway, claiming he was headed outside for some fresh air; it seemed he was eager to avoid confrontation at all costs. Ann noticed the false cheerfulness he would attempt when he said this; his mouth was turned up into a smile, but his heavy eyebrows were furrowed. On days when she observed this, she had a strong temptation to go into Gray's room and give him a piece of her mind.

She crouched down and put some fish scraps on a plate for her cat. The large tabby resided in the hallway on the second floor of the inn and she fancied herself as the ruler of this domain, refusing to go downstairs. She paused when she heard Gray's laughter from the bachelor pad. This was unusual, as it wasn't summer yet and his playful friend, Kai, wasn't in the room with him.

"He _would_ just throw away the whole pot; he's a stubborn old fool," Gray chuckled.

Ann crept toward the doorway and grabbed her broom, pretending to sweep; it sounded like he was in a more favorable mood tonight.

She heard the folksy accent and was surprised to hear that Gray was having an entertaining conversation with Cliff. "Yeah, I guess he was pretty furious. Flora offered to share it with me. She's no chef, but it was still decent curry... Then Carter came outside and saw us eating together and he started yelling at me." Cliff sighed.

She heard a grunt in reply. "Well, Carter's always hot-headed; don't take it personally."

 _Hot-headed? The smiling priest at the church?_ Ann stopped sweeping, confused.

"I bet he thought you were trying to put the moves on his woman," Gray continued with a gruff laugh.

Ann thought of the archeologist that lived in the next town over. _Ah, different Carter…_

"Flora punched him," Cliff laughed weakly. "I think she was the only woman in Forget-Me-Not that wasn't afraid of me when I camped there."

"Flora's great. She reminds me of Ann a little bit," Gray replied, and the young woman felt her heart swell; this was high praise coming from him. "… Ah, I haven't visited those two in a while. How long ago was all this?"

"A few months ago," he answered.

"Wow, it really is a small world, huh? And there are two Carters living in such close vicinity…"

"Do you help them with the dig site?"

"Yeah. I do grunt work, mostly," Gray answered with a chuckle. "But sometimes I find some pretty neat stuff. Check out this." Ann could hear the floorboards creak as he was undoubtedly digging through his unkempt piles. "Carter said it was moonstone… Do… do you think it would be a weird thing to give as a gift?"

"I guess it would depend on who you're giving it to," Cliff replied kindly.

"W-well… Have you ever been to the library here in town?" Ann assumed that Cliff had shaken his head based on Gray's reply. "Hey, I guess I can take you there tomorrow…"

"Alright…"

Ann continued sweeping and smiled as she did so. It seemed like they were going to get along just fine, for now.

 _ **0o0o0o0**_

 _ **Author's Note: Sake (rice wine) is served in a flask with an empty cup. A standard flask is around 8 ounces, at least from what I've seen. It's usually served hot, as it helps bring out the flavors of the wine. A sake glass is fairly small; a flask will fill around four glasses. Hopefully that gives you a little better of an idea of what Saibara is consuming; he's not knocking back huge glasses of alcohol. That being said, sake is pretty strong… I have a story for that one, but it's not a fan fiction, haha!**_

 _ **Now that I've got the groundwork prepared for this story, look forward to the action picking up. Let me know what you think of the story so far or if you have any questions! :)**_

 _ **Updated 01/16/18**_


	4. Rumors

_**Author's Note: Thank you all for the feedback! Enjoy the latest chapter!**_

0o0o0o0

Spring had brought along a variety of changes. Things started to grow again, and Cliff wandered outside a lot more. Ann had seen him pacing around a lot in the mountains, sometimes wearing a single heavy gauntlet, claiming that he was scouting for wildlife. She noticed he seemed to be eager to do something, but she wasn't sure what. He seemed to have a hard time sitting still anymore; he spent most of his time either up in the mountains or meditating at the church in an attempt to relax his nerves. Ann was determined to make the young man smile, but he made it difficult. She found him hard to approach in the church when he was brooding the way he did, and he spent a lot less time in his room at the inn.

The largest change in Ann's world that spring was the new owner of the abandoned farm to the south. She was a young blonde woman with wide blue eyes, baggy overalls, and, Ann noticed, peach lip gloss and a hint of cosmetic blush. Claire Dumont stopped by the inn almost every evening, but she never ordered anything to eat or drink. She had a big city accent but a quiet voice. She never even formally introduced herself to Ann or Doug. She wasn't sure if this was out of shyness or if this was custom where Claire was from, after all, she had heard from Kai in the past that city people weren't quite as friendly. The young farmer would come over nearly every night and look around hesitantly before timidly asking Ann if Gray was in, and then head upstairs if he was. Ann wasn't sure how things were done in the city, but she knew her father wasn't exactly thrilled with Claire's behavior.

"I don't know how I feel about a young woman going up there every night in a room that belongs to two men." Doug frowned as he watched Claire walk up the stairs.

"Are you worried for her or for the men?" Ann laughed. Claire struck her as painfully shy, but she _was_ quite pretty… The whole thing seemed rather odd to her; Claire never said much more than a polite greeting to anyone, but she was always so anxious and eager to go into the bachelor pad.

Doug shot his daughter a stern look. "People might start to talk. Our inn could get a bad reputation…" He nervously wiped down the bar counter, as if to distract himself from his worries.

Ann bit her lip; her father was taking this too seriously. "Maybe if we get to know her better…?" She didn't seem very threatening…

He slung his towel over his shoulder and grinned. "I've got an idea…"

Their second best customer walked in through the door: The Queen.

"Karen!" He grinned at the young woman. "Come on over here; I've got a free beer with your name on it." He already started pouring one as he motioned for her to join them at the bar.

The notion of a free drink lured Karen over more swiftly than Ann expected. "What's your angle?" She cocked an eyebrow at him. She flopped down on a barstool anyway and shrugged when the barkeeper didn't answer right away. "Aw, heck, I don't care. Bring me a couple and we'll talk."

Ann was a little surprised to see her father meet Karen's demands so swiftly. He shot her a grin and folded his arms across his chest, giving his daughter a conspiratorial wink.

Karen giggled with pleasure as she took a sip of ale. "Someone's feeling generous tonight… Either generous or scheming…" She gave the bartender a meaningful smirk.

She liked her ale, but she wasn't stupid. Doug leaned over the counter. "What can you tell me about the new farmer girl?" He kept his voice low. Ann looked between the two of them curiously and took a seat behind the bar beside her father with eager ears.

Karen raised her eyebrows in interest. "Blondie? Hmmm…" She drank deeply from her beer. "I know she moved in at the beginning of spring..."

"Everyone knows that!" Ann hissed; she suddenly realized how hungry she was for information on the newcomer.

The brunette let out a snort as she took another sip of beer. "Well, I haven't seen her in town all that much. She only buys seeds; she doesn't really say much, but she seems very polite." She shrugged. "It seems like she's pretty private and keeps to herself."

That was only partly true, Ann realized. After all, Claire was visiting the inn on a near-daily basis; she must be talking to _someone_ …

Doug seemed to have the same thought process. "What about her going up to the men's quarters nearly every night? What can you tell me about that?" he whispered.

Karen laughed loudly and slammed down her beer. "So _that_ must be what she's doing with all those ores she's gathering!" She slapped her knee and wiped a tear from her eye as she pushed away the empty stein, reaching for the second.

"What are you talking about? You're not making any sense." Doug furrowed his brow.

She started on her next beer. "I see her come out of the mines every morning at the same time. Poor thing, she doesn't seem used to the labor… She must be bringing the ore to someone upstairs. It looks like our farmer might have a little crush!"

Ann cocked an eyebrow. She momentarily forgot that Claire had always asked for Gray; Ann had seen Cliff hanging around the mines and Goddess Spring quite a bit… She wasn't sure why the thought of this made her a little uneasy.

"Karen, this is serious!" Doug leaned further over the counter, furrowing his ginger eyebrows. "I need to know if this girl is going to become a… _liability_." He lowered his voice.

"A liability?" Ann repeated as she looked curiously at her father.

"Oh, please!" Karen dismissed this with the wave of her hand. "They're all grown adults up there; what they do behind closed doors is their own business. How long is she up there, anyway?"

"Maybe ten minutes..." His face looked concerned as he took the empty stein behind the bar. "And I'll pretend I didn't hear what you just said; your father's ulcer would start to bleed if he heard you say that."

Karen rolled her green eyes. "I really don't think you have anything to worry about, Doug. She seems like an earnest girl, just a little socially awkward. Besides, I met your new guy the other day and it seems that your Miss Farmer's not the only odd one around here. I can't get Cliff to tell me much more than his name. I doubt he'd be staying up there with her if something fishy was going on."

He didn't appear to be convinced. After all, it wasn't as if he knew his newest tenant very well, either. Karen was making too many assumptions. "Have you ever had a conversation with her?"

"Well, no…" She finished off her beer and slammed it down, a frown spreading across her mouth. "You know what? You're not giving her a chance. I'll talk to her tomorrow and offer to show her around town. I'll prove that you have nothing to be afraid of." She folded her arms across her chest and smirked at him.

0o0o0o0

"Porridge today. Sit," Ann commanded, pointing at the two bowls on the counter.

"Thank you." The young man cheerfully sat down and she was surprised; his mood had changed drastically today.

"This is my first time making it. It's a peace offering for the other day... At the church…" she said carefully, hoping not to bring up any old wounds.

"The church… I was there yesterday," Cliff muttered to no one in particular. He sat there quietly with a dreamy smile for a moment; Carter must have talked some sense into him yesterday.

Ann took a seat beside him at the bar and took a bite of her porridge. "You go there pretty much every day, right?" He nodded excitedly in response, and she smiled. Cliff seemed so happy today. His face was lit up, and she found that she rather liked the sight of it. "Did something happen at the church yesterday, or what? And what do you think of the porridge?" She flashed him a perky grin.

Cliff wasn't listening; his attention had moved to a table by the front of the bar. Gray and Karen were yelling about something, and the poor new farmer girl was unfortunate enough to be stuck between the two of them quarreling.

"That Karen… She sure is something else," Ann giggled, swinging her feet.

"So is Claire…" A smile spread across Cliff's lips as he took a bite of porridge. He swallowed thoughtfully before speaking. "Did you know she's running that farm all by herself?" His eyes glowed. "To be so self-reliant… that's amazing."

Ann thought of her conversation with Karen and her father the night before and frowned. Perhaps Claire _was_ going upstairs to call on Cliff as well. For some reason, that didn't sit quite well with her, and the notion made her even more upset today than it did last night. "I hear she's from the big city; she is probably just a beginner. I wouldn't get too impressed. I'll bet she has no clue what she's doing," Ann giggled. "She's probably pretty clumsy and wasteful with her supplies, and she probably needs all the help she can get."

He set down his spoon and let out a quiet sigh. "Why would you say that, Ann?" His eyebrows furrowed and he looked as if the less-than-kind words had been said about himself.

"Because it's probably true?" Ann laughed nervously; she had only repeated what she had heard other people say about the girl. She worked in a bar, after all, and she heard all kinds of rumors.

"Striking out on your own is hard…" Cliff stared into his porridge pensively. " _I_ was clumsy when I started… I didn't even know how to use a bow very well. That first winter was hard…"

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Gray storming off to work. Ann frowned, turning her focus back on Cliff. "Well, you're here now, right? No sense thinking about the past!" She tried to get a smile out of him.

She created the opposite effect; the young man's face grew somber. "If I don't think about the past, then what's the point of being here in the first place? My past made me who I am…"

They finished eating in strained silence. Ann watched Karen pay her father for the meal and Claire politely bowed at the innkeeper as the two left. Cliff finished his bowl and looked over at Ann.

"Thank you for the meal… it was pretty good for porridge. Try using a little less salt next time," he said, not unkindly, as he got up and left.

Ann couldn't help but wonder if this suggestion was pointed at her cooking or her conversation.

0o0o0o0

 _ **Author's Note: Those following along will start to notice some familiar events. The second section of this chapter takes place during chapter 3 in The Shy Newcomer. It's pretty fun to write different things going on in opposite sides of the room. I'm interested to hear what y'all think of the story so far. Thanks again for reading! :)**_

 _ **Updated 01/16/18**_


	5. Betrayal

_**A/N: Thank you so much for your kind words and feedback! Enjoy the new chapter!**_

 _ **0o0o0o0**_

Ann was tidying up the bar when she heard a familiar laugh.

 _It must be Karen o'clock…_

"Hey, everyone!" Karen barged though the establishment's door, dragging a very ragged-looking blonde farmer by the wrist. Claire's locks were tousled, and her cheeks were rosy from excitement. Ann was surprised to see Cliff standing at her other side, looking equally exhausted, his brown ponytail falling loose and his shoulders drooping in fatigue. Karen looked none the worse for wear – it seemed the tiredness in her companions was mostly mental and emotional.

She plopped down in her usual spot and her companions joined her. "Order whatever you guys like. It's on me tonight!"

Doug looked at the trio with interest. It was an unusual group of people, but he was happy that Karen had kept her word. He was eager to hear a report from her later that evening. "Town tour today?" He passed Karen her usual order.

"Yep. I showed them all there was to see." Karen nodded proudly as Cliff shyly ordered a glass of milk.

Ann's ears perked up. " _Them_?" Her stomach mysteriously twisted itself in knots.

"Yeah. Me and Claire ran into Cliff and he joined us," Karen was already finishing her first beer. She paused and scowled at her companions. Claire hadn't even ordered anything yet, and Cliff was sheepishly wiping away his milk moustache. "You two are helpless! Doug, can we get this lady a fall breeze? And Cliff, you're not a child; you shouldn't be drinking milk. Get me and Cliff a beer."

"You want two straws for that beer so that you can share?" Ann's laugh sounded innocent enough, but she raised her eyebrows. Cliff had never shown much interest in Karen before today…

She received a scoff in response. "Like heck if I'd share with anyone! Make that two beers for me. I need one for each hand!" she laughed heartily.

Cliff had joined the two women after he had rejected her friendly offer? Ann found she was furious at him, and she could just barely manage quelling her rage. She slammed his mug of beer in front of him and glared at him and was met with a startled deep blue gaze. The amber liquid and foam sloshed in the stein, threatening to splash over the lip of the mug for a brief moment before it went still. The farmer looked at the two of them curiously, but Ann flounced back to the kitchen in a huff, her braid whipping herself in the face as she did so. She wanted Cliff to know her feelings had been hurt. She had been eager to show him around town the other day at the church, but he had been so stubborn. She had even apologized about it that very morning! The waitress couldn't help but feel betrayed.

She threw some dirty mugs into the soapy water and began to scrub. Cleaning always made things better – it made everything new and fresh. She realized that her throat was tight and her face felt hot. Why was she so angry anyway? Didn't she want Cliff to be happy and make new friends? This was good; he was talking to people.

Her mind drifted to the Karen and Claire. Why did he have to choose such pretty friends, though? And why did he have to choose them over her? Ann wasn't stupid; she had seen the interested looks most of the men in the bar gave Karen. The woman was beautiful – Ann had even caught Gray checking her out a couple of times. She had no doubt that the brunette had charmed Cliff into joining them today. Claire didn't have the same brand of beauty that Karen did, but she was still very attractive. Her pretty facial features and her soft blonde locks allowed her to still look girlish and cute despite her baggy, worn-out work clothes. Both of them were very feminine, something Ann just wasn't. _Wait, why do I care if they were pretty, anyway?_ Ann was never jealous of Popuri's girlishness, Elli's feminine grace, or Mary's soft beauty. She bit her lip and put away the beer steins.

She returned to the bar, putting on a mask of happiness for the moment.

As Cliff waved goodbye to the two young women, Ann couldn't help but notice that his cheeks were a bit rosy, and it wasn't from the alcohol. He cheerfully started small talk with Doug, and Ann felt a pang of jealousy and the sudden urge to slap him across the face. How could others have made him open up so easily? How could Karen have gotten on such friendly terms with him? And why did he have to keep shutting her out? She couldn't believe that after trying so hard to get Cliff to look around town the other day, Karen had done it so effortlessly. Ann waited for her father to go back into the kitchen.

"Karen's more or less taken, you know." Ann's voice came out far more bitter than she meant to as she leaned on the counter across from him, her fingernails tapping on the wooden countertop noisily.

The young man was deaf to the racket she was making on the tabletop. "Rick, right? The chicken farmer." Cliff looked proud he could recall the name. A smile found its way on his lips as he took a sip from the red wine in his glass. It really started to irritate Ann that he was in such a good mood tonight and she wasn't the one who had caused it. It was _her_ job to cheer people up; it was the one thing she prided herself on…

She gritted her teeth. "So you noticed…" He seemed to have a selective way of paying attention – surely he should have been aware that she was deeply wounded at the choices he made today. Ann attempted to focus on Cliff's comment about Rick and Karen. Tonight was making little sense to the waitress. If Cliff knew Karen wasn't interested in him, why had he watched her leave with such a kind, almost affectionate gaze?

"They're not exactly subtle," the young man replied with a shrug and slight grin, admiring the dark shade of burgundy in the glass he was drinking from.

 _Neither are you…_ Cliff didn't strike her as the type that was very experienced with women, but surely even he should know that he was barking up the wrong tree with Karen. Was he really intending on pining after her after the confirmation of a romantic interest in Rick?

"I'm just wondering why you'd go around town with her but not me," Ann's voice was friendly, but her eyes were anything but. She was still very hurt, after all. She quickly lost the sweetness in her voice as a sudden realization hit her. "Karen and your… _evening visitor_ ," she spat, understanding that he may have been making eyes at Claire.

He said nothing, but his face flushed at her final two words.

This was not the reaction she was hoping for; she got a sinking feeling in her stomach. This changed everything – Claire's infatuation for Gray would inevitably fade out. The Gray was practically dating Mary already... Her glance moved back toward Cliff. He was sitting silently at the bar, his cheeks burning. Surely he must be thinking of the cute Claire and her sleek golden hair and pretty pink lips. The thought that he may want to touch either of those things was more than Ann could bear. Cliff deserved so much better than an air-headed city girl like her. Surely he was attracted to her city accent and mannerisms; they must seem so foreign and exotic to someone as folksy as Cliff. Such immature feelings for her couldn't last long… "It must have been nice, having an attractive girl on each arm." Ann noisily slammed the empty mugs into a tub for carrying back to the kitchen.

"It felt good to go in a group," he replied weakly.

 _Why? Do I intimidate him?_ Ann gritted her teeth. Would going alone with her really would have been so bad? Why had he been so reluctant to just go into town with her? It had been a simple request, and she was doing him a favor. But then he had to get all weird about it… Ann bit her lip. His behavior the other day had been awfully strange to her. For someone who seemed so relieved to be living in town, he didn't seem to want to interact with anyone. _Well,_ now _he did…_

"Claire and Karen are both good people," the young man continued. "I-I'm going to try to get better about talking to others…" He wore a determined expression as he looked up from the countertop.

 _Well, he could start with me,_ she thought bitterly. _Goddess knows I've been trying…_

Cliff sat silently for a few moments, deep in thought. His eyebrows furrowed as he turned toward Ann, his stare moving to the floor. "I-I owe you an apology… I'm really am sorry about the other day, at the church. If you want, we can go to the church tomorrow together…" He avoided her gaze as he slouched his shoulders, nervously fidgeting with the laces on his leather bracers.

She knew he was only saying this because she expressed that she was upset. However, Ann still entertained this idea. She wasn't crazy about sitting in a quiet church; it sounded torturous and painfully unexciting. However, she _would_ get the chance to spend some time with Cliff. The young woman was determined to be better friends with him if it killed her. Perhaps all they needed was some time alone…

Would she really get that, though? She had attempted to visit him there in the past, and all he had done was brood… She might as well have been sitting by herself.

Ann frowned. If she was going to be able to work her magic on him, she would need to be more in control of the situation. A somber setting like the church would simply not do for her efforts of cheering him up and getting him to open up to her. "How about somewhere a little more exciting, like the spring?"

His eyes quickly shifted to the countertop. "Yeah! Sure." She couldn't help but notice that his smile looked rather hollow as he finished off the last bit of his wine.

Ann caught the swift change of expression; she knew that the implication that the church was not interesting to her had hurt his feelings. He was rather good at feigning excitement, something the two of them had in common…

 _ **0o0o0o0**_

 _ **Author's Note: Wow, that was a little emotionally exhausting to write. Those who are following my other story hopefully see where this little scene takes place. I hope that Ann comes across as very human and vulnerable in this chapter. I appreciate any feedback, as always!**_

 _ **Updated 01/16/18**_


	6. Apologetic

The crystal blue water reflected the sun's rays as Ann wiped the mist off of her brow. The sweet smell of moondrop flowers filled the air as the birds sang a song in the trees above the two. The Goddess Spring was one of her favorite places to hang out; simply put, there was no other place on Earth like it. Ann figured if there was one place she would be able to have a comfortable conversation with Cliff, it would be here.

Much to her surprise, he spoke first. "I really do owe you an apology." He looked at her with earnest eyes. "I know you were just trying to be nice… back at the church… I was having a bad day and I shouldn't have treated you that way. I took it out on you, and I'm really sorry." His gaze moved to the ground in shame as he bowed his head in apology before taking a seat in the grass beside her.

Ann found a smile creeping across her face. She liked the way he said _you;_ his vowels had a very round quality to them. Her eyes studied him curiously. His long brown hair was hanging in his rueful eyes and he nervously smoothed out the fur collar of his hide tunic with calloused fingers. To say he looked like an outsider was an understatement – the young man definitely wasn't from anywhere around here. Ann was starting to notice she liked that quality about him. "I… I'm not used to people wanting me around," he gave her a pathetically sad smile as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "so I really appreciate that you take the time to talk to me… but…" He fidgeted with his bracers as his ears turned red. "Why m-me? I'm hardly someone you'd want to waste your time on…" His blue eyes moved back to the grass as if it were the most fascinating thing in the world.

Her answer was simple. "I want to know more about you," Ann replied with a kind grin. She tilted her head as she continued to gaze at him. Cliff wasn't what the conventional Mineral Town woman would find eye-catching; rather, he often looked like he was trying to blend in with the background. There was something about that quality of his that drew Ann in. It was almost as if he was begging to tell someone his story with those expressive eyes.

The color drained from his face as he gave her a glum look. "Ugh… honestly, there's really nothing worth knowing…" He let out a shy chuckle out of fear that he came off as too depressing.

It couldn't be more obvious that Cliff didn't find much value in himself, but Ann was determined to make him see otherwise. She wasn't going to let him get away so easily. His words sounded like a cry for help to her. "I doubt that. You seem pretty interesting to me." Ann remembered the day their new tenant had moved in. She had never seen such an unusual character stop by the inn with all of his bags and furs. He looked like someone who enjoyed action and adventure; she had been sure that the two would become fast friends. Much to her disappointment, he rarely initiated conversation, and the content he did contribute was minimal. The young woman was resolute – she would get Cliff to talk about himself if it killed her. "Well, you travel a lot, so I bet you've got all sorts of fascinating stories to tell." She bobbed her braid and flashed him a grin, giving him a dose of what her father referred to as "The Ole Ann One-Two". That smile and nod had been responsible for many unanticipated slices of pie and glasses of wine purchased back at the inn. No one could resist it, not even Gray.

Cliff shook his head and said nothing. Ann began to realize that the young man stopped speaking when he felt he was pushed too far. She also noticed it didn't take much for him to reach his threshold.

Her smile fell as she stared at him. Ann had never met someone who was so intent on being unhappy. It was almost as if he didn't think he deserved joy in his life. "I think… you don't give yourself enough credit," she said carefully as she played with the ends of her braid. "You seem like a nice guy…"

He pulled a long strand of grass and absentmindedly began tying knots into it. Ann watched him curiously, wondering if this was a nervous habit. "I wish I could prove you right." He frowned as his eyebrows furrowed. He dropped the strand of grass as looked up at her and noticed her gaze locked onto him. "Ah… I'm sorry… I-I'm burdening you… My apologies." He stood up, his face burning with embarrassment.

Ann's throat tightened. They had been making such good progress… "Don't go! I think you're great!" Her cheeks felt warm as she pulled herself up.

He gave her a wistful sigh, shaking his head. "Why would you say that? You hardly know me." He turned to leave.

She frowned. Ann thought Cliff would have been flattered by the improvised compliment, but instead it seemed to repel him. Yes, he was definitely different than everyone else in Mineral Town. She half wondered if an insult would make him stay; everything was opposite with him. As he took a step away, she knew better than to attempt to physically stop him. She saw her opening. "Well, I will take that as a challenge, then!" Ann returned with a grin.

"Uh…" He looked very uncomfortable as he stopped in his tracks. He almost looked like he wasn't sure what she was getting at. Could anyone really be so clueless that someone wanted to be friends?

The redhead let out an impatient sigh as she threw her braid over her shoulder, bouncing up to her feet. "Come on! Let's go for a hike in the woods. You like being outdoors, right?"

For a brief moment, he looked incredibly pained, as if he didn't think his heart could stand being around another person. "Yeah… o-okay." A hint of a smile could be seen on his face.

Ann's heart soared. She was determined to show him that he was worthy of having friends. As she turned around and saw the young man's eyebrows relax, Ann's own stomach stopped twisting uncomfortably. She had been unfair to Karen and Claire. They just wanted to see Cliff be happy, too. Ann noticed that he had a way about him that made one want to reach out to him. The more he drew into himself and pulled away, the more she was attracted to him and wanted to help him out of his shell. She was set on seeing Cliff experience a little bit of joy in his bleak life.

After all, Ann was beginning to realize she craved seeing that shy smile.

 _ **0o0o0o0**_

 _ **Author's Note: This chapter practically wrote itself. Hope you enjoy! Feel free to drop me a line and let me know what you think!**_

 _ **Updated 01/16/18**_


	7. Reaching New Heights

"Mom and Dad used to come to the Goddess Spring a lot before I was born," Ann crunched some twigs underneath her sneakers as she led the way. "Dad always says there's something special about this whole area." She turned around and walked backward a few paces to sneak a glance at her companion. The beginnings of a wistful smile played at his lips as he stared up at the bright blue sky.

"It is really nice," he murmured, his voice barely audible.

She was very excited to see some sort of positive reaction from Cliff. "What was your old home like?"

His mouth drew into a frown as his eyebrows furrowed. Ann had come to expect this kind of behavior from the young man whenever he didn't want to talk about something. However, she found herself getting a little frustrated; it was hard to have a conversation with someone who never provided any feedback, after all.

Realizing she wasn't going to get a reply out of him and attempting to lighten the mood, Ann bounded ahead, playfully hopping though the tall grass. The tall strands of green brushed against her denim as she let out a happy sigh. Ann always felt at home in this area by the Goddess Spring. She was startled when she suddenly felt a pair of strong yet gentle arms grab her around the waist. Her body was still in motion and the inertia caused her braid to whip forward into her face. "Cl-Cliff?!" Ann let out a squeal in surprise, half in the shock of being stopped, half in astonishment that Cliff had actually put his hands on her.

He let go of her and gave her a concerned look. "Didn't mean to scare you, but you were about to dive into a cluster of poison sumac." He pointed at the leafy shrubs in front of her.

She blinked in awe and her mouth hung open as she suddenly noticed how prevalent the sumac was around them. "Oh… well, thank you." Ann wasn't sure why she was amazed at the fact that he had protected her. She supposed that all of her time trying to be friendly to Cliff had been fruitless and he hadn't cared about her at all.

He looked at the plants and cringed as he rubbed the upper halves of his arms; Ann wondered if he was remembering a particularly nasty allergic reaction he had experienced on his own. "No problem. I wouldn't wish poison sumac on anyone."

Ann opened her mouth before she could stop herself. "Even Gray? He's so mean to you."

The young man gave her a small smile as he shook his head. "He's a good guy; he just has a hard time expressing himself." He paused as he adjusted his bracers and sheepishly kicked at the ground. "Huh… I suppose I-I've got the same problem," Cliff realized as his face flushed with embarrassment.

"I don't think so," Ann fibbed, flashing him a friendly grin. Upon seeing his unconvinced reaction, she went for the distraction method and began climbing a nearby tree. "I was always the fastest climber when we were all kids," she giggled as she hoisted herself up, eager to show him something she excelled at. She looked down at Cliff. "Are you coming up, or can you not climb?"

A grin spread across his mouth as he effortlessly pulled himself up and took a seat on the branch beside her. His entire face lit up as he gazed at the undersides of the limbs above them with starry eyes. Ann's heart pounded at the childlike wonder reflected in his deep blue gaze. She was contemplating a strange voice in her head begging her to "accidentally" brush past him or touch him in some way when she was brought back to reality by his spoken words.

"Home was a lot like here." His voice was soft and it dripped with nostalgia and fond memories.

Ann was shocked he had finally finished her question from earlier. Although it was a short reply, he had still told her _something_ about his life before moving here. In a way, his short comment on his hometown was quite profound, and she took comfort in the fact that he might be looking to settle down here. She was compelled to hear more, but she proceeded with caution. She knew by now to stick with a safe subject. "You climb a lot of trees back at home?"

He nodded. "Yeah… me and the other kids."

She shifted a little closer to him, her eyes drawn to his calloused hand resting on the branch beside them. "Ever have climbing races?"

He let out a soft chuckle, and Ann realized with glee that this was one of the few times he had relaxed around her. "Of course. I was one of the faster ones, but my sister could still beat me every time."

Ann felt a slight rush of jealousy the way she always did when people talked about their siblings. While she played a lot with the other kids in Mineral Town as a child, she had always longed for a relationship with a brother or sister. "You guys close?"

Cliff frowned and stared down at his dangling feet. Ann saw that he was debating whether or not to answer the question. She watched the brown wisps of hair that had escaped from his ponytail moving slightly in the late spring breeze. He knitted his brow as a small frown played at his lips. "We _were_ once..."

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Ann was surprised he had actually opened up to her regarding something personal. A small swell of victory rose within her and she bit back a grin. She was cautious in expressing her joy, as she could see that he was quickly beginning to brood again. "I've always wanted a sibling myself…" She looked over at him and noticed that he was watching her cautiously as if he was trying to decide what he thought of what she had said. "Brothers and sisters are special; don't take them for granted." Ann gazed at the ground below. They weren't particularly high up in the tree, but it was satisfying to see the plants and shrubs from a new angle. Everything was green and in full bloom again; this last winter felt particularly long to her. Ann's eyes moved back to her companion. Cliff appeared to be deep in thought, neither happy nor upset. She cleared her throat before she spoke. "You know… there's no reason why you two can't be close again if that's what you really want."

She was startled to hear a response right away. "You don't know how badly I wish that were true." He gave her a sad smile.

Ann swung her feet and her eyes found themselves moving to his hand once more. "I'm sorry… Is your sister the reason why you've been traveling?"

He picked at a loose piece of bark on the tree. "Huh… at first it was… But it's very hard to find someone who… doesn't want to be found." He tossed the sliver of bark into the vegetation below and it immediately became swallowed up by the greenery.

"Doesn't want to be found…" Ann didn't realize she was echoing the young man's words until he frowned at her.

There was a particular brand of pain that shone in his eyes, and Ann almost felt like crying for a moment. His sister was obviously someone he thought about often and cared for an awful lot. Ann vaguely wondered if she would ever be that important to someone someday. "It's… a long story. Probably not one you'd want to hear anyway." His cheeks flushed with embarrassment as he realized he was rambling on about himself again.

Ann couldn't stop the pout from appearing on her face. She had been waiting to hear about him for months now and he was still hesitating with her. His hand rested motionlessly between them on the branch. The young woman's face felt hot as she nervously placed her trembling hand over his. He flinched a bit, but he didn't pull away, much to her relief. His hand was a little dry and calloused, but it was warm. Upon the sudden realization that she was holding a boy's hand, her stomach did a little flip and she fought to control her breath. She noticed that Cliff seemed rather calm; a pair of deep blue eyes looked at her warmly for a brief moment and then back out at the scenery. Ann had half-expected him to blush violently or let out a nervous laugh. The fact that she was the one struggling with containing her own emotions was all the more bewildering to her. She managed to clear her throat once more and he looked at her quizzically. At this point, she knew that she needed to say or do something, as the situation was quickly becoming awkward. For her, anyway.

"I _would_ like to hear your story… But if you don't feel comfortable yet, that's okay." The words didn't sound like her own.

His hand slipped out from underneath hers and he gave her a friendly pat. "Thank you." His gaze returned to the branches above them and Ann mirrored his actions, wondering just what was so interesting in the tree above them. "There really is nothing quite like the bond between siblings."

He gave her a gentle smile and it changed his whole appearance. Instead of a tired, worn traveler, he looked like a vivacious, young adventurer. She was reminded how handsome he was despite his rustic clothing. He looked much more attractive when he didn't have that gloomy demeanor hanging above him. He had the appearance of one who had experienced much in a short amount of time, but the small light in his eyes seemed to hold a wisp of hope for the future. Ann found herself unable to keep from staring.

Upon seeing her eyes glued to him, Cliff gave her a curious look, but Ann could only manage a small giggle. A grin spread across her face and she wondered at what point they had become friends.

 _ **0o0o0o0**_

 _ **Author's Note: I know it's been a little while since I updated this one, but it's been on my mind a lot! A HUGE thank you to the readers, reviewers, followers, and supporters of my works! I appreciate your feedback and kind words.**_

 _ **This chapter was a little inspired by my real life adventures in my back yard. I swear all I have to do is look at poison sumac and I break out in a rash! My goal in this chapter was to write the beginning of a realistic friendship between these two. I hope I delivered! :)**_

 _ **Updated 01/16/18**_


	8. Operation Ore No More

"It's absolutely dead in here." Doug let out a small sigh as he finished wiping the bar counter. It was well after eight in the evening and none of the regular customers had shown up yet for a drink. While there was a tendency for business to lull towards the middle of the week, this particular lack of activity had him eager to work on something else. He rolled up his sleeves and smoothed down his apron. "Might as well get a head start on tomorrow, eh? I'll be in the kitchen."

His daughter nodded, twirling her broomstick in her hands. "Got it." She didn't necessarily dislike evenings where business was considerably slower, but they were definitely a lot less exciting.

Ann reached for several grains of rice under the table with her broom. The fact that Barley had brought May and her little friend Stu to their place for dinner brought a smile to her face, but the children sure could be messy when they ate. The sound of a familiar set of footsteps lightly padded behind her, the creaky bar floor giving away her presence.

Claire didn't have the look of one who wanted to remain unnoticed; rather, she flashed Ann a bright grin as her entire face lit up, the eager young woman bouncing happily as she walked. Ann leaned on the handle of the broom, curious to hear what it was Claire was going to say. The two of them had spent virtually no time together and the blonde seeking her company was unusual, to say the least.

Claire's voice was laced with lightheartedness as she gave the waitress a small wave. "Have a good evening, Ann!" she chirped.

She found herself mirroring her expression. "Thanks! You, too!" While a little surprised at the farewell, she found that she didn't mind it all that much. There was a warmth to Claire that she was certain had attracted Karen and Cliff to her. Ann's eyes widened. _Cliff… attracted to Claire?_ Surely she was thinking into this too much; she was simply someone that he was friendly with. Someone that he had been much quicker to open up to than herself…

"I-I'm going to go stop by Karen's!" Claire stated exuberantly, the volume catching Ann off guard. Claire looked a little surprised herself and Ann found herself stifling a giggle. Shaking with excitement, she nearly ran to the bar's door. "I'll see you later. Bye, Ann!" She gave her a cheery wave as she left.

"See ya!" she called out before the door slammed behind Claire. Turning back to her broom, a slight smile played at her lips. She had never seen the blonde so bubbly and sociable; she still had the image of a shy, stammering young woman who simply waved instead of speaking. She seemed friendly enough, and she wondered if it might be a good idea for her to make an effort to speak to her more often.

Finishing her sweeping, Ann stared around the empty bar, resting the handle of the broom across the back of her shoulders.

The waitress's ears perked up from the sound of a pair of heavy work boots tromping down the stairs. She didn't need to look up from her work to know it was Gray.

"Hey, Ann! Party time!" He had a huge grin on his face and a rosy Cliff was following him.

"Why did you have to say it like that back there?" He was frowning. "Now she's _going_ to think it's a date!" He let out a groan and melodramatically rested his forehead in his hand. Ann watched him curiously; Cliff had been getting pretty chatty around Gray. His candid body language filled her with a bit of hope that he was opening up to others.

"I specifically said it wasn't; she'll just think you're a gentleman. Wasn't that your aim anyway? No big deal… Come on, celebratory drinks on me!"

"C-Celebratory?!" He looked annoyed. "You're sending some very mixed signals!" He bit his lip, furrowing his thick brows.

Gray smirked at him as he took a seat at the bar. "Yo, Ann! Two beers! One for the best wingman ever, and one for… well… _him_ …"

"I don't care for beer…" Cliff's tone was dangerously close to a whine as he folded his arms across his chest.

"Wow, you are ungrateful!" he laughed. "You should be the one treating me! A beer and a wine, then. Is that okay with you?" He raised his eyebrows, a little surprised at Cliff's sass this evening. "Wine sure suits your attitude," he muttered under his breath.

His friend was too anxious to hear him. "Okay… may I please have whatever it was is that Karen likes so much?" He sighed as he took a seat and buried his face in his arms.

That hardly narrowed the selection; Ann bit back a laugh. She settled on the wine Karen had shared the other night with him. "What are we celebrating?" she asked, pouring the beer. "Cliff doesn't look too happy."

"He is. He's just being a whiny brat," Gray started on his drink. He garnered a sour look in response, but he continued anyway. "He just asked Claire out to lunch. He was going to let her get away, but I helped him reel her in. And now he's upset with me."

Ann didn't expect her stomach to jump the way it did. "Well, it's just lunch," she laughed weakly, "there's no need to be nervous, Cliff." She ate breakfast with him a couple of times a week and he didn't seem uneasy at all around her. Maybe it would be best that she remind him this. "After all, _we_ eat together sometimes, right? You seem to like _my_ company…" She was about to ask Cliff to have breakfast with her tomorrow, but she felt awkward asking him in front of Gray. Ann twisted the end of her braid around her knuckles and blushed as she imagined them sharing a stack of pancakes; maybe he'd ask if they could start spending more time together… She wasn't sure what to think of this, but there was an uncomfortable fluttering in her stomach.

"That's what I told him – it's nothing scary. Claire knows it's not a date, man…" Gray nudged Cliff's shoulder and noticed this seemed to bring a sense of relief to him. Ann smiled at them and turned around to pour the wine. Despite his gruff mannerisms, Gray could actually be a good friend when he tried. "… As much as I know you really want it to be," he added with a smirk.

Ann's stomach felt strange; the bottle slipped in her hands and she almost spilled. She turned around and set the beverage in front of her friend. She wasn't sure what she thought of the notion of Cliff and Claire being a couple. Ann had always assumed that if he was interested in dating, he would choose to go out with… _her_. The realization of this caused Ann's heart to pound violently in her chest. She had never been on a date herself and didn't really have the desire to. Or did she? Why was she suddenly thinking such strange things? "So, do you want it to be, Cliff? A d-date, I mean?" she asked, her genuine curiosity getting the better of her. Ann hoped she sounded less nervous than she felt.

The shade of the young man's face rivaled that of the wine. He looked at the surface of the bar's counter and said nothing. Both Ann and Gray were familiar enough with his behavior to know that he had been pushed too far and put up his protective wall. It didn't take much for him to do that. She wanted to shake his shoulders and demand a response from him, but she realized that his silence had said everything. Ann suddenly felt very ill.

"The drinks are actually to celebrate the first phase of Operation: _Ore No More_ ," Gray replied as if nothing had happened. He took a drink of his beer and shifted on his seat to get more comfortable.

Ann's curiosity got the better of her; she ignored Cliff for the moment. After all, she was rather adept at ignoring emotions that made her uncomfortable. It was a talent she liked to think added to her ability of cheering people up so quickly, as she was able to block out her own pain. " _Ore No More_?"

"Yeah," Gray nodded. "Surely you've noticed Claire stops by almost every night."

"Uh-huh." Everyone in town did. She had heard a couple of unfriendly comments on the subject, but she kept from repeating them. It was an unusual happening in town and she had a feeling that gossip was only going to get worse. Claire didn't have much of a reputation yet, but she was likely to get an undesirable one if she continued her behavior.

"She's always bringing me these little scraps of metal and ore she finds…"

"Well, that's not really a bad thing," Ann reasoned, pouring herself a glass of orange juice and sitting down on a stool behind the bar. "She probably wants to be friends. Although why she chose _you_ I'm not so sure," she added with a teasing laugh.

Gray scoffed. "Beats the hell out of me. She makes me uncomfortable. Those big blue eyes just _staring_ … I feel like she's expecting me to say something or do something interesting."

Ann giggled. "Maybe she's waiting for you to shape shift or pull a rabbit out of your hat!" Gray was the only person she knew that could take something like a person attempting to befriend him and turn it into a problem.

He shook his head with a groan. "People are going to get the wrong idea. She stops by _every single night_! You can't pretend to not know that!"

"I-it's pretty interesting when she talks about her farm," Cliff mumbled almost inaudibly.

Gray turned toward him with a scowl, too preoccupied to be relieved he had broken his silence. "Then speak up when she comes over! Goddess! Take her off of my hands!"

He stared into his wine, his face immediately flushing again. "B-but I-"

"And you've gotta do more than whisper! That girl is dense!" he continued, taking a deep drink from his mug. He sighed and enjoyed the lingering flavor of the beer. "But that's why we're celebrating tonight. You finally spoke up. She's your problem now; let her focus her attention on you."

Ann had seen the way Claire's eyes sparkled when she asked if Gray was in; the idea of having that gaze directed at Cliff instead filled her with frustration. He was definitely worthy of attention, but her own would be plenty good enough. She longed to hear about his travels, to laugh at entertaining stories. She wanted to be impressed by his exploits and have her awed reactions cause that sweet blush to show in his cheeks… Ann chugged her orange juice and slammed down the glass loudly.

"What's _your_ problem?" Gray cocked an eyebrow as he looked at her curiously, demanding an explanation for the noise. It was behavior more suited to Karen that Ann. His eyes darted between her and Cliff, who was struggling to hide the dreamy look in his eyes as he attempted to preoccupy himself with his drink, a shy smile playing at his lips as he was lost in thought.

She didn't like the look Gray was giving her. She tapped the glass on the counter a few times, knocking Cliff out of whatever daydream he was having. They looked at her, jarred by the loud noise. "Uh… this is how you're supposed to do it! It's a way to honor those who can't drink with you!"

Perplexed, Gray took another sip of his drink. "Isn't that supposed to be right after the toast but before you take a drink?" He had seen the older men of Mineral Town do this on many occasions.

Ann's cheeks felt warm. Were they going to realize she had just been trying to make racket as a distraction from her confusing emotions? "Well, I guess it's a way of signaling the end of drinking, then. When your glass is finished, I mean." She wished Gray would stop looking at her like that; she felt foolish enough. Her gaze flicked back over to Cliff, who was taking a small drink of his wine. He was leaned forward, quickly back in dreamland as he rested his elbows on the bar, using both hands to hold the glass at his lips. The older women of town would call his wine etiquette shameful, but he had probably learned from Karen. The bar was also very casual, so that wasn't likely to help things. She shrugged; it wasn't as if he was going into a career that involved wine anyway. He looked comfortable like that and there was something endearing about it.

"So are you telling us to get out, then?" Gray chuckled, finishing off the remnants of his ale. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand; polished manners were hit and miss around here. Her own father had chided her for talking with her mouth full or resting her elbows on the table.

She was distracted from her thoughts when she noticed how he gave her a glance, looked over at Cliff, and once more returned his focus to her. He had said a lot without any words and she felt slightly dizzy.

Ann managed a small grin despite her blazing face. "Only you. Scram, you bum!"

"I see. Catch you guys later then." Gray shot her a smirk as he headed back up the stairs.

Ann stuck her tongue out at him as his back was turned, garnering a slight smile from Cliff. She took Gray's empty mug behind the counter and concealed the fact that she was wringing her hands. "So, I'm g-gonna experiment with a layered yogurt parfait tomorrow morning… Interested, guinea pig?" She hoped that she didn't sound as pleading and desperate as she felt.

"Sounds delicious. Thank you."

A wave of relief overcame her as she poured herself a fresh glass of juice and sat back down, relishing in the way he pronounced his words. "I'm making my own granola, but why don't you tell me what your favorite fruits are?"

"I'm not very picky," he replied with a smile. "What are your favorites?"

Her face lit up. Cliff didn't initiate open-ended questions often, and she leapt at the opportunity. She settled in her stool and took a sip of the juice, enjoying the tartness as she smacked her lips in pleasure. "Well, I hope you're comfortable, because I have a _lot_ of favorites…"

0o0o0o0

 _ **Author's Note: Phew, I am still here! I've had writer's block on this chapter for a loooong time, and I finally broke through it today. Hope you enjoyed! I've also gone through all the older chapters and updated punctuation, wording, etc. Nothing in the plot has changed. Thank you! :D**_


	9. Mementos

Ann tied the slim black ribbon into a bow around her neck and frowned at her reflection. The soft robin's egg blue dress was pretty, but it certainly didn't suit someone like _her_. She played with the folds of the full skirt in front of the mirror, scoffing at the hint of demure lace that was stitched to the hem. She fumbled with the slightly yellowed lace cuffs on her wrists; they were definitely not practical for cooking. Throwing the fitted apron over her head, she carefully tied it around her, using it to mask the fact that the dress was a little loose in a couple areas. The brass buttons were actually pretty nice and she could see herself wearing this piece of the outfit on a regular basis.

She looked at herself in the mirror for a moment before quickly diverting her eyes, a little afraid to look. The same dress had been in many faded photos and she didn't feel quite worthy of it. Something about actually donning it felt forbidden.

"Well, how does it look? Are you finished?"

She nervously smoothed out the skirt as she opened her bedroom door. At her father's gaze, she nervously rubbed the back of her neck, certain she looked ridiculous. "I guess so. I feel-"

Her voice stopped as she saw the shininess in her father's eyes. He inhaled deeply, biting his lip. "Y-you look _so_ much like your mother in that…" Doug swallowed the lump in his throat and blinked the mistiness out of his eyes. "She would have been fifty today, you know." A sad smile formed on his lips as he looked at his daughter's form, memories of his wife flooding back to him.

While Ann couldn't remember her mother, the look on Doug's face made her worry. "I can take it off! I don't mind-"

He shook his head, wiping a single tear away with his hand. "She insisted on wearing the whole getup every day for work, headpiece and all. I cooked and she served." A congested chuckle escaped his lips as he brushed away a few more. Ann hadn't worn the lacy headband, and she had worn a pair of white sneakers instead of heels, but it made the entire outfit look all the more endearing.

Ann felt her own eyes getting wet. "Fifty, huh? Do you think she could still rock this look?"

A hearty laugh rumbled through the room as Doug finished wiping his tears. "Think so? I know so! Your mother was the foxiest lady this side of Mother's Hill!"

Ann giggled, playing with the folds of her skirt. She loved the way her father's eyes lit up when he gushed about her. She got the feeling from the photos she saw that the two were real lovey-dovey types, something that would have normally repulsed her a bit with anyone else. "Really?"

He laughed harder. "She was the foxiest, sweetest, kindest lady in the _world_! And she gave me the most wonderful daughter!" He caught her in a big embrace and she squealed when he picked her up and spun in a circle. He set her down and they held each other for a moment, Ann quickly feeling her eyes fill with tears as she struggled with the lump in her throat.

"Dad, you haven't done that since I was a kid!" She gave him a pout as if she were deeply offended. Overacting was a great way to hide sadness; she could see her father becoming misty again and that simply would not do. She tried perkiness instead. "Do it again!"

Doug groaned, leading the way to the kitchen, but she felt a sense of victory when he let out a small chuckle. "You're not a little girl anymore, and I'm not as young as I used to be! Besides, I've got a cake to make. What kind?"

"Well, what was her favorite?"

He laughed. He could still see her sitting at the table, wiping her mouth after polishing off half of a cake all by herself. "She wasn't very picky. How about chocolate? And we'll have some of her favorite fish stew for dinner. How does that sound?"

"No complaints here!" Ann nodded excitedly, bounding out to the dining area to look for customers.

"Oh, Felicity, the two of you combined would've eaten us out of house and home…" He brushed another tear from his eye as he smiled at a faded family portrait taped to the refrigerator.

0o0o0o0

With the cake safely in the oven, Doug was putting clean wine glasses back behind the bar when he heard his daughter humming to herself.

She had brought a hot plate from the kitchen to the counter behind the bar and was stirring a saucepan. He was pleased to see she hadn't immediately changed her outfit. He saw the way she was swinging her hips as she sang; it seemed she didn't mind wearing this particular dress. The savory blend of spices was unmistakable; she was making Japanese-style curry for the third time this week.

As if on cue, Cliff carefully walked down the stairs with an armful of handmade spears in one arm and a wild game bag in the other.

"Cliff, wait!" Ann excitedly looked up from her cooking. "Come here!"

"What's up?" He made his way to the bar. His eyes traveled over Ann's dress and a warm smile spread across his face. "You look very pretty, Ann."

She dropped her wooden spoon clumsily on the counter, jumping back from the splatter of curry sauce. The corners of her lips upturned as she swiftly picked up the utensil and tossed it in the bussing tray with a loud clank. She couldn't remember the last time anyone other than her father had used that word to describe her. "Th-thanks. This outfit was Mom's." She eagerly pointed to a small photo that was kept behind the bar. "See? _She_ was the pretty one. _I'm_ the loud one," she added with a laugh, hoping it masked her insecurity.

"Ann!"

She had forgotten Doug was behind the bar with her.

"You're both pretty," Cliff responded simply. "It's nice to have mementos from your parents," he added with a wistful nod.

She noticed he had been much more talkative lately, and he seemed a little more comfortable with the idea of living at the inn with everyone. As she watched, him, she noticed his eyebrows begin to furrow as a slight frown formed.

"Ah, um…"

Ann looked at him curiously.

"I-I'm actually on my way t-to run some errands and then I'm meeting someone…" he admitted. Judging from the way he was shuffling his feet, he was running a bit behind schedule.

She slapped her head in embarrassment. The moment he had complimented her, she had immediately forgotten what she had called him over for. "I added a little extra spice to the curry this time. Try a quick taste."

Doug watched curiously as Cliff struggled to relax his posture. "Uh, o-okay… but just a little." He looked at the surface of the bar, trying to figure out how to set his things down with his arms full.

Ann had turned around and was stirring the pot of curry with a spoon. "It's not Carter, is it?" she asked with a grim expression. She began to wonder if seeing the priest so much was part of the reason why Cliff seemed so depressed sometimes. After all, he spent an awful lot of time there.

"N-no… just a friend." The young man awkwardly looked down at his feet, fighting the color that dusted his cheeks.

She let out a relieved sigh as she gathered a bite with a combination of vegetables on the spoon. "Well, I'm glad you're making more friends, Cliff. You seem happier."

He turned redder. "I am." he admitted with a nod, gaining confidence. "It's nice h-having friends to spend time with, and you're one of them."

Ann laughed. "I'm not about to stop you from socializing, but just try a little bite before you go."

"Alright. You're a really good cook, Ann."

Doug noticed his daughter had turned pink. "Hey, don't butter me up until you've tried it now." She blew on the spoon to cool it down held across the counter to him, keeping a protective hand beneath it to catch any spills. "Open up!"

Cliff chuckled, loosening his stance a bit. "You really are just like my sister sometimes."

"Is your sister a good cook?" she asked. She was curious to hear more about his family, but she knew that right now wasn't the best time. She was encouraged by his chattiness, however, and she looked forward to hearing more in the future.

Cliff shook his head. "She was never as good as you." He opened his mouth and accepted the offering. A nostalgic smile spread across his face immediately. "Ah… almost like Ma's… Thank you very much, Ann."

Warmth filled her as she let out a laugh. "I only gave you one bite," she teased. She suddenly wanted to feed him another spoonful; she wanted to feed him the entire batch, but she stopped herself.

"That didn't make it any less delicious. I'll be back later. See y'all tonight." He gave them a nod in farewell as he pushed the door open with his shoulder and left.

Doug watched silently as Ann's eyes followed the young man until he was out of sight. She stared at the spoon in her hand and shyly licked off a bit of sauce Cliff had missed, turning bright red as she did so. A satisfied grin played at her lips.

Doug had never seen his daughter look at a man like that before. He was determined to make Cliff stay. "Your cooking's been evolving a bit, Ann." A hint of a smirk was hidden beneath her father's ginger moustache.

She jumped; once again she had forgotten her father was nearby. She was grateful that he hadn't commented on what she had just done. Ann set the spoon on the counter, thankful that if he had been watching, he must have dismissed her behavior as normal, as she often licked utensils clean after she was done using them. "Evolving?"

"You've been practicing a few dishes in particular lately… I wasn't aware you liked curry that much."

"I've always liked curry," she replied with a snort. Was he really going to question what kinds of foods she liked? "Well… and I thought it would help to have an unbiased opinion," Ann added with a shrug, wondering why it kind of felt like a lie.

"You never cook free food for Gray…" Doug didn't look up from the wine glasses he was putting away.

"That's because he doesn't even gather his dirty laundry for me!" Ann retorted, suddenly feeling a little flustered. "He shouldn't be rewarded for being a slob!"

"Ann…?"

She had heard that tone before. He had said her name in that way that implied a serious conversation was about to happen. "Yeah, Dad?" Ann grabbed a fresh bowl and popped open the rice cooker to fill it.

He felt bad saying it, especially when he had seen her so happy, but that was the very reason it needed to be said. "I just want to remind you, we've had our fair share of drifters here… They rarely stay for more than a few months…"

Ann felt like she had been kicked in the stomach. Cliff had already been there for over two months. She got a fresh ladle and poured some curry over her rice. "I-I know…"

"Cliff's a really kind-hearted boy… I hope he's an exception to the rule," Doug looked at the cleanly licked spoon on the counter. "I just don't want to see you get hurt."

Ann laughed nervously. "Cliff, hurt me? He wouldn't hurt a fly!" She remembered the bow and fishing spears she saw in the corner of his room. "Well, maybe a fish or a rabbit… y-you know what I mean…"

"And _you_ know what _I_ mean," Doug's face was serious.

The thumping of her heart was deafening as she sorted through a basket of vegetables on the counter. "So I take it you haven't heard anything about how long he'll stay, huh?" Ann started washing some carrots for that night's dinner, slightly changing the subject.

Doug shook his head. "I wish I had."

Her heart sunk. "That makes two of us," she sighed.

 _ **0o0o0o0**_

 _ **Author's Note: Those following along in The Shy Newcomer will know that I made the characters from Echo Valley (HM: A New Beginning) a generation older. I decided to adopt in my canon that Doug and Felicity got married. It's kind of a shame, since I like Felicity and I feel like I basically killed her, but I thought she made a good addition to the McKinley family.**_

 _ **I hope you enjoyed the newest chapter! I'd love to hear what y'all think of it!**_


	10. Sick

The nest of blankets on the far side of the room emitted a stifled sneeze. Ann tossed another one of Gray's shirts off of the floor and into her laundry basket before curiously walking over to investigate.

"Hey, there's someone in there? I thought you were a heap of clothes!" she giggled. She playfully whipped the blanket off of the top of the pile and bit back a surprised gasp; Cliff was curled up in a ball, his eyes puffy and red. He was only half clothed, and the cotton pants he was wearing didn't seem to be keeping him very warm, as he was shivering. Her apology was cut off as she opened her mouth and he sneezed violently into his arm, his entire body wracking from the impact.

He didn't seem embarrassed at being seen in his compromised state – as a matter of fact, he didn't behave any differently except for the fact that his cheeks were flushed. He sat up tiredly and ran his fingers through his disheveled hair; it wasn't tied back like it normally was. "I came back after running a couple of errands… Just thought I'd rest a bit." He furrowed his brows and slightly opened his mouth for a moment before sneezing violently into his forearm. Her eyes widened at the way his muscles tightened up at the sneeze, and she tried to avoid staring at his unclothed torso.

It was more than apparent he wasn't feeling well and she felt a wave of pity for him. It wasn't likely that he had been taken care of while sick for a long time if he had been traveling so much. His silky brown locks rested on his shoulders and caught the sunlight streaming in through the window. Hints of red and blonde picked up the sunshine and his hair fell into his face as he leaned forward to sneeze once more into his forearm.

Despite the tired eyes and weak posture, his pink face kept her gaze focused on him.

 _He's pretty cute…_

She quickly shook the thought from her head; there was nothing attractive about sneezing. He removed his arm from his face and she realized the tip of his nose was red.

"A-anyway… don't mind me... I'm just a little overtired and achy." He curled back up under the covers and let out a wet cough into the blanket. "I didn't mean to keep you from your work. Please feel free to carry on. I'm just going to take a nap."

She shuddered a bit and wasn't looking forward to changing his bedding. "You're sick, aren't you?"

He obstinately shook his head like a young child. "I already told you. I'm just tired is all." He pulled the blankets over his head and sneezed once more, letting out a small moan.

She instinctively pulled back the blankets and took a seat on the edge of the bed, cupping his cheeks in her hands. She studied his face. He was flushed and there were dark circles under his eyes. Those eyes were a lovely shade of blue that almost looked indigo; they reminded her of the color of the ocean. They were beautiful, even if they were bloodshot right now. He had a set of thick eyebrows that were often furrowed in worry. At the present moment, they were raised in surprise.

"A-Ann…" His eyes narrowed in stubbornness. "I'm _fine_."

She moved one hand to his forehead. "You're really warm. You feel like you have a fever. Let me get you some medicine."

"I don't need any medicine. I don't _take_ medicine."

She disappeared from the room and bounded downstairs to the kitchen.

A hot meal prepared with care was the best medicine, after all.

0o0o0o0

Ann held the tray of soup and tea in her arms and slowly opened the door. Cliff was out of bed and was standing beside the window in a daze. He had a glass of water in his hands he had retrieved from the bathroom and his gaze moved to the trees outside. Ann's eyes traveled over his body. He was slim with lean, toned muscles – the figure of one who lived on his own and was very active. In his fatigue, his posture was a bit slouched. He set down his glass and shivered, tossing a shirt over his head as he let out a sigh and turned back to his water. Ann tore her eyes away in a combination of embarrassment and a bit of guilt; she hadn't meant to stare.

Her steps into the room caught his attention. The young man looked at her curiously, finishing off his water. "Why did you come back?" he asked bluntly. "I told you I was fine."

She frowned, placing the tray on his nightstand. "I got you some hot tea and soup on the house. Don't be stubborn!" The callous words slipped out before she could stop them. "Come back to bed." Ann put her hands on her hips and tapped her foot impatiently. "What are you doing up, anyway?"

"I can't tell if I'm too hot or too cold." Cliff set down his glass and ran his fingers through his bangs, letting out a tired sigh. This was quickly followed up by a cough. "I didn't ask for this food," his words didn't sound unkind. His gaze turned toward her and he turned red with embarrassment. "You don't need to be wasting your time in here with me," he finally mumbled.

She said nothing in reply but gestured toward the bed.

He padded back over in his bare feet and lowered himself down onto the mattress carefully. "Have I mentioned you remind me of my sister?" His expression relaxed a bit as he pulled the blankets over his lap.

She gave him a smirk. "What is that supposed to mean? Was she a nag?"

There was a mischievous glint in his eyes despite their fatigue. "I never said that. She was strong-willed, but very gentle when she needed to be." He interlaced his fingers and looked down at his blankets. "We were always looking out for each other… She was my… b-best friend…" There was a deep sadness in his words.

Ann set down the tray and sat on the edge of his bed. She could see that dwelling on his sister always put him in a hopeless mood, but she didn't want to sound heartless. "That… doesn't mean that you'll never find someone you feel that way about ever again," she tried carefully. "I know you come from far away from here, but folks are real nice here once you get to know them." She flicked away a bit of dust on her pant leg, unsure of why she felt a little nervous. "When… when we lost Mom, Dad said that Manna, Anna, Sasha, and Lillia all stepped in to run the inn in shifts. They were all friends of Mom's and they insisted he take some time off while they handled things." She laughed away the lump forming in her throat, but the chuckle came out weak. "Dad said that fall, he must have eaten hundreds of eggs that Lillia brought and cooked. Anna always folded down the corners of the blankets just so. Sasha made sure no one had an unpaid tab, and when Manna bartended, she did a lot more talking than listening. She was gabby even then, apparently."

He gave her a small smile. "It's important that a community steps in to help someone in need." A wistful expression settled on his face. "Home was a lot like that, too… In most ways, anyway…" He was quiet for a few moments and his voice grew soft. "I… want to find a place like that again. I'm praying I can find it here," he confessed.

A warm glow filled Ann's heart. "I think you'll be pleasantly surprised if you give this place a chance."

"I-I… h-h-hope…" He opened his mouth slightly and crossed his eyes for a moment before sneezing harshly into his arm.

Ann gave him a smirk. "You are most definitely sick." She thrust the warm mug into his hands. "Drink."

The young woman noticed that his illness didn't deter her from giving his shoulder a gentle rub, her own face turning as red as his flushed one.

 _ **0o0o0o0**_

 _ **Author's Note: I am baaack! I never stopped thinking about this story, but I had focused a lot of my attention on The Shy Newcomer lately. I'm hoping to wrap this story up by the end of the year, as I have most of it drafted already. Keep an eye out for updates!**_

 _ **Thanks so much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed! :)**_


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